Many people are wondering what teachers are experiencing and learning in the new online classrooms. What is it like to transition from a room with rows or tables of students to a virtual gathering with students’ pictures on a computer screen? At the youngest end of the K-12 spectrum, what is a day in Kindergarten like in this new environment?&nbsp;

The first&nbsp;Talk305&nbsp;podcast answers these questions and more. Superintendent Linn Exline, host, talks with Jacy Murphy, kindergarten teacher at Meadowlark Ridge Elementary School. Beginning today, April 24, find this podcast on the usd305.com website.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usd305.com/podcast" target="_blank">(Click here.)</a>

Upcoming&nbsp;Talk305&nbsp;podcasts will feature conversation focused on relevant experiences and happenings behind the scenes at USD 305. Listen in as we explore beyond the nuts and bolts of this new learning environment and stay connected with the heart of education. If you have an idea for a podcast topic, we invite you to reach out to Cindy Will at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cindy.will@usd305.com" target="_blank">cindy.will@usd305.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587763273689.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Many people are wondering what teachers are experiencing and learning in the new online classrooms. What is it like to transition from a room with rows or tables of students to a virtual gathering with students’ pictures on a computer screen? At the youngest end of the K-12 spectrum, what is a day in Kindergarten like in this new environment?&nbsp;The first&nbsp;Talk305&nbsp;podcast answers these questions and more. Superintendent Linn Exline, host, talks with Jacy Murphy, kindergarten teacher at Meadowlark Ridge Elementary School. Beginning today, April 24, find this podcast on the usd305.com website.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usd305.com/podcast" target="_blank">(Click here.)</a>Upcoming&nbsp;Talk305&nbsp;podcasts will feature conversation focused on relevant experiences and happenings behind the scenes at USD 305. Listen in as we explore beyond the nuts and bolts of this new learning environment and stay connected with the heart of education. If you have an idea for a podcast topic, we invite you to reach out to Cindy Will at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cindy.will@usd305.com" target="_blank">cindy.will@usd305.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

USD 305 podcast takes closer look into new learning environment

ALBANY,&nbsp; N.Y. —To end his daily press conference Friday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo shared a letter he received from a farmer in northeast Kansas.&nbsp;

According to Cuomo, the farmer's wife is ill and he is aging.&nbsp;

"He sent me 1 of 5 N95 masks he has from farming to pass on to a doctor or nurse in New York. This is humanity at its best. I share his letter as inspiration."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fast forward to 22:05 to listen to Cuomo read the letter.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly also shared comments about the letter on social media and said, "This incredible example of kindness and generosity is the epitome of what it means to be a Kansan. I am so proud to be the governor of this great state."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587753434953.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ALBANY,&nbsp; N.Y. —To end his daily press conference Friday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo shared a letter he received from a farmer in northeast Kansas.&nbsp;According to Cuomo, the farmer's wife is ill and he is aging.&nbsp;"He sent me 1 of 5 N95 masks he has from farming to pass on to a doctor or nurse in New York. This is humanity at its best. I share his letter as inspiration."&nbsp;&nbsp;Fast forward to 22:05 to listen to Cuomo read the letter.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Holding a briefing with updates on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronavirus</a>. Watch Live: <a href="https://t.co/G8ZpT8sfoR">https://t.co/G8ZpT8sfoR</a>&mdash; Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo/status/1253708565212041216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly also shared comments about the letter on social media and said, "This incredible example of kindness and generosity is the epitome of what it means to be a Kansan. I am so proud to be the governor of this great state."

New York governor shares letter from Kansas farmer

Today is Friday, April 24, the 115th day of 2020. There are 251 days left in the year.

On April 24, 1877, federal troops were ordered out of New Orleans, ending the North's post-Civil War rule in the South.

In 1800, Congress approved a bill establishing the Library of Congress.

In 1913, the 792-foot Woolworth Building, at that time the tallest skyscraper in the world, officially opened in Manhattan as President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button at the White House to signal the lighting of the towering structure.

In 1915, in what's considered the start of the Armenian genocide, the Ottoman Empire began rounding up Armenian political and cultural leaders in Constantinople.

In 1961, in the wake of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, the White House issued a statement saying that President John F. Kennedy "bears sole responsibility for the events of the past few days."

In 1967, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov was killed when his Soyuz 1 spacecraft smashed into the Earth after his parachutes failed to deploy properly during re-entry; he was the first human spaceflight fatality.

In 1980, the United States launched an unsuccessful attempt to free the American hostages in Iran, a mission that resulted in the deaths of eight U.S. servicemen.

In 1986, Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, for whom King Edward VIII had given up the British throne, died in Paris at age 89.

In 1995, the final bomb linked to the Unabomber exploded inside the Sacramento, California, offices of a lobbying group for the wood products industry, killing chief lobbyist Gilbert B. Murray. (Theodore Kaczynski was later sentenced to four lifetimes in prison for a series of bombings that killed three men and injured 29 others.)

In 2003, U.S. forces in Iraq took custody of Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi deputy prime minister. China shut down a Beijing hospital as the global death toll from SARS surpassed 260.

In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI formally began his stewardship of the Roman Catholic Church; the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said in his installation homily that as pontiff he would listen to the will of God in governing the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.

In 2009, Mexico shut down schools, museums, libraries and state-run theaters across its overcrowded capital in hopes of containing a deadly swine flu outbreak.

In 2013, in Bangladesh, a shoddily constructed eight-story commercial building housing garment factories collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people.

Ten years ago: The policy-setting panel of the International Monetary Fund, with a nervous eye on Greece, pledged during a meeting in Washington to address the risks posed to the global recovery from high government debt. A dozen people were killed by a tornado system that bumped down in Louisiana before plowing into Mississippi and then Alabama. Etiquette expert Elizabeth Post (granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post) died in Naples, Florida, at 89.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama marked the 10th anniversary of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, praising the nation's spying operations as the most capable in the world. The presidents of Russia and France joined other leaders at ceremonies in Yerevan commemorating the estimated 1.5 million Armenian victims of the 1916 massacre by Ottoman Turks. In a long-awaited interview about his gender identity, former Olympic champion Bruce Jenner told ABC's Diane Sawyer said that "for all intents and purposes, I am a woman."

One year ago: Avowed racist John William King was executed in Texas for the 1998 slaying of James Byrd Jr., who was chained to the back of a truck and dragged along a road outside Jasper, Texas; prosecutors said Byrd was targeted because he was black. North Korea's Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia aboard an armored train for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said nearly 700 cases of measles had been reported in the United States so far in 2019; it was already the nation's worst year for measles since 1994. Hundreds of students and staff at two Los Angeles universities were placed under quarantine, after officials said they may have been exposed to measles and either had not been vaccinated or could not verify that they were immune.

Today's Birthdays: Movie director-producer Richard Donner is 90. Actress Shirley MacLaine is 86. Actress-singer-director Barbra Streisand is 78. Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is 78. Country singer Richard Sterban (The Oak Ridge Boys) is 77. Rock musician Doug Clifford (Creedence Clearwater Revival) is 75. R-and-B singer Ann Peebles is 73. Former Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny is 69. Actor-playwright Eric Bogosian is 67. Rock singer-musician Jack Blades (Night Ranger) is 66. Actor Michael O'Keefe is 65. Rock musician David J (Bauhaus) is 63. Actor Glenn Morshower is 61. Rock musician Billy Gould is 57. Actor-comedian Cedric the Entertainer is 56. Actor Djimon Hounsou is 56. Rock musician Patty Schemel is 53. Actress Stacy Haiduk is 52. Rock musician Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors) is 52. Actor Aidan Gillen is 52. Actress Melinda Clarke is 51. Actor Rory McCann is 51. Latin pop singer Alejandro Fernandez is 49. Country-rock musician Brad Morgan (Drive-By Truckers) is 49. Rock musician Brian Marshall (Creed; Alter Bridge) is 47. Actor Derek Luke is 46. Actor-producer Thad Luckinbill is 45. Actor Eric Balfour is 43. Actress Rebecca Mader is 43. Country singer Rebecca Lynn Howard is 41. Country singer Danny Gokey is 40. Actress Reagan Gomez is 40. Actor Austin Nichols is 40. Actress Sasha Barrese is 39. Contemporary Christian musician Jasen Rauch (Red) is 39. Singer Kelly Clarkson is 38. Rock singer-musician Tyson Ritter (The All-American Rejects) is 36. Country singer Carly Pearce is 30. Actor Joe Keery is 28. Actor Jack Quaid is 28. Actor Doc Shaw is 28. Actor Jordan Fisher is 26. Golfer Lydia Ko is 23.

Thought for Today: "I feel proud to be living in a country where people are not afraid to laugh at themselves and where political satire is tolerated by the government, if not the television network." — Pat Paulsen, American comedian (born 1927, died this date in 1997).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Friday, April 24, the 115th day of 2020. There are 251 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On April 24, 1877, federal troops were ordered out of New Orleans, ending the North's post-Civil War rule in the South.On this date:In 1800, Congress approved a bill establishing the Library of Congress.In 1913, the 792-foot Woolworth Building, at that time the tallest skyscraper in the world, officially opened in Manhattan as President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button at the White House to signal the lighting of the towering structure.In 1915, in what's considered the start of the Armenian genocide, the Ottoman Empire began rounding up Armenian political and cultural leaders in Constantinople.In 1961, in the wake of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, the White House issued a statement saying that President John F. Kennedy "bears sole responsibility for the events of the past few days."In 1967, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov was killed when his Soyuz 1 spacecraft smashed into the Earth after his parachutes failed to deploy properly during re-entry; he was the first human spaceflight fatality.In 1980, the United States launched an unsuccessful attempt to free the American hostages in Iran, a mission that resulted in the deaths of eight U.S. servicemen.In 1986, Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, for whom King Edward VIII had given up the British throne, died in Paris at age 89.In 1995, the final bomb linked to the Unabomber exploded inside the Sacramento, California, offices of a lobbying group for the wood products industry, killing chief lobbyist Gilbert B. Murray. (Theodore Kaczynski was later sentenced to four lifetimes in prison for a series of bombings that killed three men and injured 29 others.)In 2003, U.S. forces in Iraq took custody of Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi deputy prime minister. China shut down a Beijing hospital as the global death toll from SARS surpassed 260.In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI formally began his stewardship of the Roman Catholic Church; the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said in his installation homily that as pontiff he would listen to the will of God in governing the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.In 2009, Mexico shut down schools, museums, libraries and state-run theaters across its overcrowded capital in hopes of containing a deadly swine flu outbreak.In 2013, in Bangladesh, a shoddily constructed eight-story commercial building housing garment factories collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people.Ten years ago: The policy-setting panel of the International Monetary Fund, with a nervous eye on Greece, pledged during a meeting in Washington to address the risks posed to the global recovery from high government debt. A dozen people were killed by a tornado system that bumped down in Louisiana before plowing into Mississippi and then Alabama. Etiquette expert Elizabeth Post (granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post) died in Naples, Florida, at 89.Five years ago: President Barack Obama marked the 10th anniversary of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, praising the nation's spying operations as the most capable in the world. The presidents of Russia and France joined other leaders at ceremonies in Yerevan commemorating the estimated 1.5 million Armenian victims of the 1916 massacre by Ottoman Turks. In a long-awaited interview about his gender identity, former Olympic champion Bruce Jenner told ABC's Diane Sawyer said that "for all intents and purposes, I am a woman."One year ago: Avowed racist John William King was executed in Texas for the 1998 slaying of James Byrd Jr., who was chained to the back of a truck and dragged along a road outside Jasper, Texas; prosecutors said Byrd was targeted because he was black. North Korea's Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia aboard an armored train for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said nearly 700 cases of measles had been reported in the United States so far in 2019; it was already the nation's worst year for measles since 1994. Hundreds of students and staff at two Los Angeles universities were placed under quarantine, after officials said they may have been exposed to measles and either had not been vaccinated or could not verify that they were immune.Today's Birthdays: Movie director-producer Richard Donner is 90. Actress Shirley MacLaine is 86. Actress-singer-director Barbra Streisand is 78. Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is 78. Country singer Richard Sterban (The Oak Ridge Boys) is 77. Rock musician Doug Clifford (Creedence Clearwater Revival) is 75. R-and-B singer Ann Peebles is 73. Former Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny is 69. Actor-playwright Eric Bogosian is 67. Rock singer-musician Jack Blades (Night Ranger) is 66. Actor Michael O'Keefe is 65. Rock musician David J (Bauhaus) is 63. Actor Glenn Morshower is 61. Rock musician Billy Gould is 57. Actor-comedian Cedric the Entertainer is 56. Actor Djimon Hounsou is 56. Rock musician Patty Schemel is 53. Actress Stacy Haiduk is 52. Rock musician Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors) is 52. Actor Aidan Gillen is 52. Actress Melinda Clarke is 51. Actor Rory McCann is 51. Latin pop singer Alejandro Fernandez is 49. Country-rock musician Brad Morgan (Drive-By Truckers) is 49. Rock musician Brian Marshall (Creed; Alter Bridge) is 47. Actor Derek Luke is 46. Actor-producer Thad Luckinbill is 45. Actor Eric Balfour is 43. Actress Rebecca Mader is 43. Country singer Rebecca Lynn Howard is 41. Country singer Danny Gokey is 40. Actress Reagan Gomez is 40. Actor Austin Nichols is 40. Actress Sasha Barrese is 39. Contemporary Christian musician Jasen Rauch (Red) is 39. Singer Kelly Clarkson is 38. Rock singer-musician Tyson Ritter (The All-American Rejects) is 36. Country singer Carly Pearce is 30. Actor Joe Keery is 28. Actor Jack Quaid is 28. Actor Doc Shaw is 28. Actor Jordan Fisher is 26. Golfer Lydia Ko is 23.Thought for Today: "I feel proud to be living in a country where people are not afraid to laugh at themselves and where political satire is tolerated by the government, if not the television network." — Pat Paulsen, American comedian (born 1927, died this date in 1997).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Today in History -- April 24

WASHINGTON (AP) — A chorus of governors from both parties pushed back hard after President Donald Trump accused Democrats of playing “a very dangerous political game” by insisting there is a shortage of tests for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus</a>. The governors countered that the White House must do more to help states do the testing that’s needed before they can ease up on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ea4c17f541c7c63fac52941a6f43b885">stay-at-home orders</a>.

Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said the current federal effort “really is not good enough if we’re going to be able to start to open our economy. We cannot do that safely without the tests in place.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/4aac3a10664097f38633149367ac3928">Supply shortages</a>&nbsp;have stymied U.S. testing for weeks. The needs range from basic supplies like swabs and protective gear to highly specialized laboratory chemicals needed to analyze patient results. Hospitals, laboratories and state health departments report scouring the globe to secure orders, competing against each other and their peers abroad.

The governors’ plea for stepped-up coordination came Monday when the Trump administration again provided discordant messaging: Trump blasted state leaders on Twitter for being too dependent on federal government and said later that some governors just didn’t understand what they had, while Vice President Mike Pence assured governors the government was working around-the-clock to help them ramp up testing.

Pence sought to soften the administration’s message amid growing clamor from both parties for a national testing strategy to help secure testing swabs, chemical reagents and other crucial supplies.

“When it comes to testing, we’re here to help,” Pence told governors during a video conference from the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Associated Press obtained audio of the call.

Pence said the administration sent each state a detailed list Monday of testing capacity. But Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan said much of the unused lab machinery listed for his state was in federal labs the state does not have access to. Pence said the administration has agreed to open up federal labs to help states.

Hogan announced Monday that the state had received 500,000 tests from South Korea — a “game-changing” deal negotiated by his wife, Yumi Hogan, who grew up outside Seoul.

“They want the states to take the lead, and we have to go out and do it ourselves, and so that’s exactly what we did,” Hogan said.

Trump didn’t take that lying down. In his daily briefing, he said some governors have “more capacity than they understand.”

“The governor of Maryland could have called Mike Pence, could have saved a lot of money,” Trump said. “I don’t think he needed to go to South Korea. He needed to get a little knowledge.”

In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said his state is working with another federal agency, the Food and Drug Administration, to find a source of reagent, the chemical used to analyze test results. “A lot of good things are going on, but we’re not there yet,” DeWine said.

Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said his state received 5,000 nasal swabs Monday from FEMA — evidence the federal government is listening. But he added, “It doesn’t get us far enough.”

In New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the states should take the lead on testing but it’s up to the federal government to help sort out supply chain issues facing testing manufacturers.

“What the states will run into is when you talk to those labs ... they buy machines and equipment from national manufacturers,” said Cuomo, who is expected to meet with Trump at the White House Tuesday. “And those labs can only run as many tests as the national manufacturers provide them chemicals, reagents and lab kits.”

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said, “We need the reagents, we need the test kits and I think that’s the sort of general cry from other states.”

As Pence spoke with the governors, Trump took to Twitter with a more combative tone than his vice president, complaining that the “radical left” and “Do Nothing Democrats” were playing politics with their complaints about a lack of tests.

“Now they scream ....‘Testing, Testing, Testing,’ again playing a very dangerous political game,” Trump tweeted. “States, not the Federal Government, should be doing the Testing - But we will work with the Governors and get it done.”

Public health experts say the country needs to dramatically increase its testing infrastructure if it is going to safely roll back restrictions and reopen businesses without risking a major spike in infections.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday that the country is currently running about 1.5 million to 2 million tests per week. But, “we really need to get up to, at least, you know, maybe two times that, three times that.”

The White House said the Pentagon is finalizing negotiations with a Maine medical company to ramp up production of nasal swabs under the Defense Production Act. An Ohio manufacturer of cotton swabs has also agreed to convert its facilities to allow for 10 million testing swabs per month.

Testing was an issue on Capitol Hill, too, where the administration and Congress were inching toward agreement on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d4706859faf64bf3abd73419933c8ea2">an aid package of more than $450 billion&nbsp;</a>to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money. The deal is expected to add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing, as well.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587431279916.png" alt="President Trump shows reporters a news article during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing" />
 <figcaption>President Trump shows reporters a news article during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A chorus of governors from both parties pushed back hard after President Donald Trump accused Democrats of playing “a very dangerous political game” by insisting there is a shortage of tests for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus</a>. The governors countered that the White House must do more to help states do the testing that’s needed before they can ease up on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ea4c17f541c7c63fac52941a6f43b885">stay-at-home orders</a>.Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said the current federal effort “really is not good enough if we’re going to be able to start to open our economy. We cannot do that safely without the tests in place.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587431487729.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly mentioned President Trump during Monday's press conference" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly mentioned President Trump during Monday's press conference</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/4aac3a10664097f38633149367ac3928">Supply shortages</a>&nbsp;have stymied U.S. testing for weeks. The needs range from basic supplies like swabs and protective gear to highly specialized laboratory chemicals needed to analyze patient results. Hospitals, laboratories and state health departments report scouring the globe to secure orders, competing against each other and their peers abroad.The governors’ plea for stepped-up coordination came Monday when the Trump administration again provided discordant messaging: Trump blasted state leaders on Twitter for being too dependent on federal government and said later that some governors just didn’t understand what they had, while Vice President Mike Pence assured governors the government was working around-the-clock to help them ramp up testing.Pence sought to soften the administration’s message amid growing clamor from both parties for a national testing strategy to help secure testing swabs, chemical reagents and other crucial supplies.“When it comes to testing, we’re here to help,” Pence told governors during a video conference from the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Associated Press obtained audio of the call.Pence said the administration sent each state a detailed list Monday of testing capacity. But Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan said much of the unused lab machinery listed for his state was in federal labs the state does not have access to. Pence said the administration has agreed to open up federal labs to help states.Hogan announced Monday that the state had received 500,000 tests from South Korea — a “game-changing” deal negotiated by his wife, Yumi Hogan, who grew up outside Seoul.“They want the states to take the lead, and we have to go out and do it ourselves, and so that’s exactly what we did,” Hogan said.Trump didn’t take that lying down. In his daily briefing, he said some governors have “more capacity than they understand.”“The governor of Maryland could have called Mike Pence, could have saved a lot of money,” Trump said. “I don’t think he needed to go to South Korea. He needed to get a little knowledge.”In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said his state is working with another federal agency, the Food and Drug Administration, to find a source of reagent, the chemical used to analyze test results. “A lot of good things are going on, but we’re not there yet,” DeWine said.Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said his state received 5,000 nasal swabs Monday from FEMA — evidence the federal government is listening. But he added, “It doesn’t get us far enough.”In New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the states should take the lead on testing but it’s up to the federal government to help sort out supply chain issues facing testing manufacturers.“What the states will run into is when you talk to those labs ... they buy machines and equipment from national manufacturers,” said Cuomo, who is expected to meet with Trump at the White House Tuesday. “And those labs can only run as many tests as the national manufacturers provide them chemicals, reagents and lab kits.”Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said, “We need the reagents, we need the test kits and I think that’s the sort of general cry from other states.”As Pence spoke with the governors, Trump took to Twitter with a more combative tone than his vice president, complaining that the “radical left” and “Do Nothing Democrats” were playing politics with their complaints about a lack of tests.“Now they scream ....‘Testing, Testing, Testing,’ again playing a very dangerous political game,” Trump tweeted. “States, not the Federal Government, should be doing the Testing - But we will work with the Governors and get it done.”Public health experts say the country needs to dramatically increase its testing infrastructure if it is going to safely roll back restrictions and reopen businesses without risking a major spike in infections.Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday that the country is currently running about 1.5 million to 2 million tests per week. But, “we really need to get up to, at least, you know, maybe two times that, three times that.”The White House said the Pentagon is finalizing negotiations with a Maine medical company to ramp up production of nasal swabs under the Defense Production Act. An Ohio manufacturer of cotton swabs has also agreed to convert its facilities to allow for 10 million testing swabs per month.Testing was an issue on Capitol Hill, too, where the administration and Congress were inching toward agreement on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d4706859faf64bf3abd73419933c8ea2">an aid package of more than $450 billion&nbsp;</a>to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money. The deal is expected to add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing, as well.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.___

Kansas governor among those calling for more federal help

TOPEKA – The Kansas Rural Center (KRC) has been listening and responding to questions, mostly from farmers and community leaders working quickly to respond to the new realities of the pandemic. Like many, KRC has responded virtually moving meetings, resources, and communicating information <a href="http://kansasruralcenter.org.">exclusively online,</a> according to a media release.

One tool KRC has curated is a webpage with an extensive list of COVID -19 guidance, resources, and FAQ’s specifically for farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and communities responding to the pandemic. It can be found at <a href="http://kansasruralcenter.org/covid19-guidance/">kansasruralcenter.org/covid19-guidance</a>.

A few key takeaways are that producers are still ready and willing to get safe food to Kansans despite opening season of farmers markets being delayed or tentatively closed. 

 Farmers need to know that it’s still okay to sell products to consumers, all following best practices for public safety, of course. There are more and more resources becoming available by state and national agencies and organizations to help both farmers and consumers make shifts in access to food and markets.   

Among the resources KRC lists, the FAQ page tackles questions addressing how the shelter in place orders affect mobility and markets for farmers, grants and loans available to farms and small businesses, and how to purchase locally grown food from farmers. 

  Here in Kansas, organizations and agencies have created new COVID-19 resources such as best practices for farmers markets on the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s website and produce safety resources and webinars from K-State Extension. 

 Many farmers are pivoting to online sales and many resources have become available on how to make that shift and the tools to do it.   

Navigating the CARES Act aid options available specifically for farmers has so far proven confusing and overwhelming however many resources are becoming available to help clarify the options and processes.

   Farm Commons, a nonprofit that provides resources and services on farm law has provided several resources on farm eligibility and guidance on CARES Act aid provisions like the Paycheck Protection Program.  Farmers' Legal Action Group just released a “Farmers’ Guide to COVID-19 Relief” which focuses on how these various programs can provide relief to farmers.  All of these resources and more are linked on KRC’s COVID-19 resource pages.  

KRC is updating the <a href="http://kansasruralcenter.org.">webpage </a>everyday with new and updated information and resources. For questions or comments on what may be helpful to farms and communities amid the pandemic please reach out to KRC at info@kansasruralcenter.org or 866-579-5469.

For more information, visit <a href="https://kansasruralcenter.org/">kansasruralcenter.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587390815901.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – The Kansas Rural Center (KRC) has been listening and responding to questions, mostly from farmers and community leaders working quickly to respond to the new realities of the pandemic. Like many, KRC has responded virtually moving meetings, resources, and communicating information <a href="http://kansasruralcenter.org.">exclusively online,</a> according to a media release. One tool KRC has curated is a webpage with an extensive list of COVID -19 guidance, resources, and FAQ’s specifically for farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and communities responding to the pandemic. It can be found at <a href="http://kansasruralcenter.org/covid19-guidance/">kansasruralcenter.org/covid19-guidance</a>. A few key takeaways are that producers are still ready and willing to get safe food to Kansans despite opening season of farmers markets being delayed or tentatively closed. Farmers need to know that it’s still okay to sell products to consumers, all following best practices for public safety, of course. There are more and more resources becoming available by state and national agencies and organizations to help both farmers and consumers make shifts in access to food and markets. Among the resources KRC lists, the FAQ page tackles questions addressing how the shelter in place orders affect mobility and markets for farmers, grants and loans available to farms and small businesses, and how to purchase locally grown food from farmers. Here in Kansas, organizations and agencies have created new COVID-19 resources such as best practices for farmers markets on the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s website and produce safety resources and webinars from K-State Extension. Many farmers are pivoting to online sales and many resources have become available on how to make that shift and the tools to do it. Navigating the CARES Act aid options available specifically for farmers has so far proven confusing and overwhelming however many resources are becoming available to help clarify the options and processes. Farm Commons, a nonprofit that provides resources and services on farm law has provided several resources on farm eligibility and guidance on CARES Act aid provisions like the Paycheck Protection Program. Farmers' Legal Action Group just released a “Farmers’ Guide to COVID-19 Relief” which focuses on how these various programs can provide relief to farmers. All of these resources and more are linked on KRC’s COVID-19 resource pages. KRC is updating the <a href="http://kansasruralcenter.org.">webpage </a>everyday with new and updated information and resources. For questions or comments on what may be helpful to farms and communities amid the pandemic please reach out to KRC at info@kansasruralcenter.org or 866-579-5469. For more information, visit <a href="https://kansasruralcenter.org/">kansasruralcenter.org</a>.

KRC providing COVID-19 resources for farmers, ranchers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cameron Karosis usually strives to protect his personal information. But a scary bout of COVID-19 that began last month with headaches and fevers, progressed to breathing problems and led to a hospital visit has now left him eager to disclose as much as possible to help halt the virus’ spread.

Karosis has already shared personal details with Massachusetts health investigators. And if he was asked to comply with a disease-tracking phone app that monitored his whereabouts but didn’t publicly reveal his name and Cambridge street address, he said he’d do that, too.

“I’m sick and I’m under a quarantine -- hold me accountable for it,” the 27-year-old software salesman said. “You have the potential to kill other people.”

As countries around the world edge toward ending lockdowns and restarting their economies and societies, citizens are being more closely monitored, in nations rich and poor, authoritarian and free.

New systems to track who is infected and who isn’t, and where they’ve been, have been created or extended in China, South Korea and Singapore. And a range of other surveillance systems – some utilizing GPS location data, some gathering medical data – have been debated or piloted in Israel, Germany, the U.K., Italy and elsewhere.

The challenge: achieving the tricky balance between limiting the spread of disease and allowing people freedom to move outside their homes.

Whether the prospect on the table is “immunity passports” or cellphone-based tracking apps, the aim is to protect public health. But experts say it’s also important to avoid a slippery-slope scenario where data collected to minimize the spread of disease is stored indefinitely, available without limits to law enforcement or susceptible to hackers.

“We need to build necessary guardrails for civil liberties,” said Jake Laperruque, a lawyer at the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight in Washington. “If new data is being collected for public health purposes, it should only be used for public health purposes.”

Right now, there is no single official plan for reopening the United States, where the constitutional system gives states responsibility for maintaining public safety and where deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise steeply.

Scientists believe that the hundreds of thousands of people who already have recovered from the virus worldwide are likely to have some immunity to future infection, but they aren’t sure for how long. To ensure new cases don’t overwhelm hospital capacity, any plans to relax lockdowns will include provisions to track infections.

“The virus is not going away – if we all just come out on a certain date, it will spread widely again,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, an infectious disease expert and former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “That means we need to think carefully about how and when we come out.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s top disease expert, said the administration has looked at the idea of issuing certificates of immunity to people whose blood tests reveal they have developed antibodies to fight the virus, among other possible plans. Yet they haven’t concluded that approach would be effective, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/46ee40035d500c4190489aea0adb126b">told</a>&nbsp;The Associated Press on Tuesday.

“I know people are anxious to say, ‘Well, we’ll give you a passport that says you’re antibody-positive, you can go to work and you’re protected.’ The worst possibility that would happen is if we’re actually wrong about that” and those people get infected.

Meanwhile, public health agencies from Massachusetts to the city of San Francisco have hired a surge of people to run “contact tracing” teams. Their mission is to identify anyone who has recently been in contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, then encourage those people to get tested and perhaps isolate themselves. These meetings can be sensitive and require training, and support, to pull off effectively.

Aiming to take the tracing approach to a new scale are tech giants Apple and Google, which are jointly working to build smartphone technology that alerts users if they shared a park bench or grocery store aisle with a stranger later found to be infected with the virus.

Unlike the more invasive location-tracking methods attempted by some governments, the Apple-Google approach uses Bluetooth beacons to detect physical proximity and encrypted keys to maintain people’s anonymity. The companies say they’re building the software for public health departments only, on the condition that they won’t make use of them mandatory.

In addition to developing the technology, experts warn that the implications of deploying such devices need to be carefully considered. Who will collect and verify the data? How long will it be held? Will enough people use a voluntary app for it to be helpful?

“We know from history that ‘emergency measures’ too often last long beyond their initial expiry date,” said Deborah Brown, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

She also noted that systems that monitor cellphone location or GPS data reveal more than just where someone has recently been. “Your contacts and associations can be gleaned, potentially your religious or political beliefs,” she said -- for instance, if you’ve visited a church or mosque.

Susan Landau, a cybersecurity professor at Tufts University, said she has doubts about the effectiveness of relying on smartphone-based approaches, even if the apps are carefully designed to protect individual privacy.

“My real concern about the whole thing is I think it’s being oversold,” she said. “Does it reduce spread? I don’t doubt that. Does it enable us to eliminate social distancing? No, not as long as there’s a high portion of people who are asymptomatic.”

Collecting data should complement, but not substitute for, well-managed public health interventions, said Deborah Seligsohn, a political scientist at Villanova University.

It’s one thing to merely send a phone alert that someone exposed to a COVID-19 case should self-isolate for 14 days. It’s another to have government workers bring them groceries or other essentials to make that quarantine period possible if someone would otherwise have trouble complying, she said.

After the various lockdowns lift, it’s not clear how readily Americans will submit to tracking efforts.

Cameron Karosis had his mind changed by contracting the virus, but many others are still wrestling with the prospect of how far they’d be willing to go.

“Personally, I would not be thrilled to be forced into downloading an app, mostly because I don’t love the idea of Silicon Valley knowing even more about me than they already do,” said Maura Cunningham, a writer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “But I’d probably give in on that pretty quickly if it were made a widespread prerequisite for getting back to normal activity at some point in the future. I’d definitely resist a blood test — that just feels too intrusive.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1570046351883.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Cameron Karosis usually strives to protect his personal information. But a scary bout of COVID-19 that began last month with headaches and fevers, progressed to breathing problems and led to a hospital visit has now left him eager to disclose as much as possible to help halt the virus’ spread.Karosis has already shared personal details with Massachusetts health investigators. And if he was asked to comply with a disease-tracking phone app that monitored his whereabouts but didn’t publicly reveal his name and Cambridge street address, he said he’d do that, too.“I’m sick and I’m under a quarantine -- hold me accountable for it,” the 27-year-old software salesman said. “You have the potential to kill other people.”As countries around the world edge toward ending lockdowns and restarting their economies and societies, citizens are being more closely monitored, in nations rich and poor, authoritarian and free.New systems to track who is infected and who isn’t, and where they’ve been, have been created or extended in China, South Korea and Singapore. And a range of other surveillance systems – some utilizing GPS location data, some gathering medical data – have been debated or piloted in Israel, Germany, the U.K., Italy and elsewhere.The challenge: achieving the tricky balance between limiting the spread of disease and allowing people freedom to move outside their homes.Whether the prospect on the table is “immunity passports” or cellphone-based tracking apps, the aim is to protect public health. But experts say it’s also important to avoid a slippery-slope scenario where data collected to minimize the spread of disease is stored indefinitely, available without limits to law enforcement or susceptible to hackers.“We need to build necessary guardrails for civil liberties,” said Jake Laperruque, a lawyer at the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight in Washington. “If new data is being collected for public health purposes, it should only be used for public health purposes.”Right now, there is no single official plan for reopening the United States, where the constitutional system gives states responsibility for maintaining public safety and where deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise steeply.Scientists believe that the hundreds of thousands of people who already have recovered from the virus worldwide are likely to have some immunity to future infection, but they aren’t sure for how long. To ensure new cases don’t overwhelm hospital capacity, any plans to relax lockdowns will include provisions to track infections.“The virus is not going away – if we all just come out on a certain date, it will spread widely again,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, an infectious disease expert and former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “That means we need to think carefully about how and when we come out.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586816593346.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci listens to President Trump during Friday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -White House image" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci listens to President Trump during Friday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s top disease expert, said the administration has looked at the idea of issuing certificates of immunity to people whose blood tests reveal they have developed antibodies to fight the virus, among other possible plans. Yet they haven’t concluded that approach would be effective, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/46ee40035d500c4190489aea0adb126b">told</a>&nbsp;The Associated Press on Tuesday.“I know people are anxious to say, ‘Well, we’ll give you a passport that says you’re antibody-positive, you can go to work and you’re protected.’ The worst possibility that would happen is if we’re actually wrong about that” and those people get infected.Meanwhile, public health agencies from Massachusetts to the city of San Francisco have hired a surge of people to run “contact tracing” teams. Their mission is to identify anyone who has recently been in contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, then encourage those people to get tested and perhaps isolate themselves. These meetings can be sensitive and require training, and support, to pull off effectively.Aiming to take the tracing approach to a new scale are tech giants Apple and Google, which are jointly working to build smartphone technology that alerts users if they shared a park bench or grocery store aisle with a stranger later found to be infected with the virus.Unlike the more invasive location-tracking methods attempted by some governments, the Apple-Google approach uses Bluetooth beacons to detect physical proximity and encrypted keys to maintain people’s anonymity. The companies say they’re building the software for public health departments only, on the condition that they won’t make use of them mandatory.In addition to developing the technology, experts warn that the implications of deploying such devices need to be carefully considered. Who will collect and verify the data? How long will it be held? Will enough people use a voluntary app for it to be helpful?“We know from history that ‘emergency measures’ too often last long beyond their initial expiry date,” said Deborah Brown, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.She also noted that systems that monitor cellphone location or GPS data reveal more than just where someone has recently been. “Your contacts and associations can be gleaned, potentially your religious or political beliefs,” she said -- for instance, if you’ve visited a church or mosque.Susan Landau, a cybersecurity professor at Tufts University, said she has doubts about the effectiveness of relying on smartphone-based approaches, even if the apps are carefully designed to protect individual privacy.“My real concern about the whole thing is I think it’s being oversold,” she said. “Does it reduce spread? I don’t doubt that. Does it enable us to eliminate social distancing? No, not as long as there’s a high portion of people who are asymptomatic.”Collecting data should complement, but not substitute for, well-managed public health interventions, said Deborah Seligsohn, a political scientist at Villanova University.It’s one thing to merely send a phone alert that someone exposed to a COVID-19 case should self-isolate for 14 days. It’s another to have government workers bring them groceries or other essentials to make that quarantine period possible if someone would otherwise have trouble complying, she said.After the various lockdowns lift, it’s not clear how readily Americans will submit to tracking efforts.Cameron Karosis had his mind changed by contracting the virus, but many others are still wrestling with the prospect of how far they’d be willing to go.“Personally, I would not be thrilled to be forced into downloading an app, mostly because I don’t love the idea of Silicon Valley knowing even more about me than they already do,” said Maura Cunningham, a writer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “But I’d probably give in on that pretty quickly if it were made a widespread prerequisite for getting back to normal activity at some point in the future. I’d definitely resist a blood test — that just feels too intrusive.”

Would you give up health or location data to return to work?

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas plans to start using 3D printers to manufacture its own swabs to test for the novel coronavirus as officials look to improve the state’s near-bottom national rank in testing before lifting a stay-at-home order.

Gov. Laura Kelly and her top public health administrator, Dr. Lee Norman, have complained for weeks that Kansas isn’t a priority for testing supplies and personal protective equipment from the federal government or even private vendors, making it difficult to get them. 

The state’s struggles have continued with the Democratic governor under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">increasing pressure</a>&nbsp;from the Republican-controlled Legislature to lift restrictions hindering economic activity, with her stay-at-home order set to remain in place until May 3.

But Kelly said Friday that testing people both with and without symptoms is key. Norman said the state might not be able to loosen restrictions until later in May, a couple of weeks after the Kansas outbreak’s expected late-April peak. Kelly’s stay-at-home order took effect March 30 and is set to stay in place until May 3.

“Our ability to test and contact trace must be much more robust before we can safely proceed to open,” Kelly said during her daily coronavirus news conference at the Statehouse.

Kansas as of Friday had reported testing about 17,000 of its 2.9 million residents for coronavirus, or 5.8 for every 1,000 residents, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://covidtracking.com/" target="_blank">The COVID Tracking Project,</a>&nbsp;a website managed by journalists and analysts, with The Associated Press among the contributors to the data. That rate is the second-lowest among states, just behind Virginia’s 5.75 per 1,000 residents and a little more than half of the national figure of 10.82 per 1,000 citizens.

Testing generally has been limited to people who are showing coronavirus symptoms, though it has expanded in a handful of the state’s 105 counties, including the biggest hotspots in the Kansas City area.

Dr. Beth Oller, a family-practice physician in Stockton, said it’s “ridiculous” that in her area of northwest Kansas, testing still isn’t recommended for people who know they’ve had close contact with an infected person but aren’t yet showing symptoms.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s the way it is right now,” she said. “There are still not enough tests.”

Norman said earlier this week that the state had spent “a lot of money” on testing supplies, though the health department didn’t specify the amount, and was awaiting on some shipments of supplies.

He also said the state expects to use 3D printers next week to start manufacturing 1,000 testing swabs a week. The state would like to do another 15,500 tests on people not showing symptoms to determine how prevalent coronavirus infections are in the general population, he said.

The state Department of Health and Environment, led by Norman, reported Friday that Kansas had 1,705 confirmed coronavirus cases in 66 of its 105 counties. That was an increase of 117, or 7.4% from Thursday, with cases in three additional counties.

COVID-19-related deaths also rose 5%, up four to 84, according to the department.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

Despite its low testing rate, Kansas’ rate of COVID-19 deaths is in the middle of the pack among states, 2.89 for every 100,000 residents as of Friday, ranking 26th, and against a national figure of 9.89.

“Always, we’re working on, what’s the pinch point, in terms of a our supply chain? Norman said Friday. “I really think that the floodgates will open up and be allowing much more broad testing within the next week.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, eager to get the economy moving again,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251186839983132673" target="_blank">tweeted</a>&nbsp;Friday, “The States have to step up their TESTING!”

“Well, we know that,” Kelly said when asked about the tweet. “We’ve known that for a long time.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587156578878.png" alt="Drive up testing in Johnson County -photo Johnson Co. Health Department" />
 <figcaption>Drive up testing in Johnson County -photo Johnson Co. Health Department</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas plans to start using 3D printers to manufacture its own swabs to test for the novel coronavirus as officials look to improve the state’s near-bottom national rank in testing before lifting a stay-at-home order.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587176759937.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman listens to a question during Friday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman listens to a question during Friday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>Gov. Laura Kelly and her top public health administrator, Dr. Lee Norman, have complained for weeks that Kansas isn’t a priority for testing supplies and personal protective equipment from the federal government or even private vendors, making it difficult to get them. The state’s struggles have continued with the Democratic governor under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">increasing pressure</a>&nbsp;from the Republican-controlled Legislature to lift restrictions hindering economic activity, with her stay-at-home order set to remain in place until May 3.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587150220230.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly answers questions during Friday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly answers questions during Friday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>But Kelly said Friday that testing people both with and without symptoms is key. Norman said the state might not be able to loosen restrictions until later in May, a couple of weeks after the Kansas outbreak’s expected late-April peak. Kelly’s stay-at-home order took effect March 30 and is set to stay in place until May 3.“Our ability to test and contact trace must be much more robust before we can safely proceed to open,” Kelly said during her daily coronavirus news conference at the Statehouse.Kansas as of Friday had reported testing about 17,000 of its 2.9 million residents for coronavirus, or 5.8 for every 1,000 residents, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://covidtracking.com/" target="_blank">The COVID Tracking Project,</a>&nbsp;a website managed by journalists and analysts, with The Associated Press among the contributors to the data. That rate is the second-lowest among states, just behind Virginia’s 5.75 per 1,000 residents and a little more than half of the national figure of 10.82 per 1,000 citizens.Testing generally has been limited to people who are showing coronavirus symptoms, though it has expanded in a handful of the state’s 105 counties, including the biggest hotspots in the Kansas City area.Dr. Beth Oller, a family-practice physician in Stockton, said it’s “ridiculous” that in her area of northwest Kansas, testing still isn’t recommended for people who know they’ve had close contact with an infected person but aren’t yet showing symptoms.“It’s frustrating, but it’s the way it is right now,” she said. “There are still not enough tests.”Norman said earlier this week that the state had spent “a lot of money” on testing supplies, though the health department didn’t specify the amount, and was awaiting on some shipments of supplies.He also said the state expects to use 3D printers next week to start manufacturing 1,000 testing swabs a week. The state would like to do another 15,500 tests on people not showing symptoms to determine how prevalent coronavirus infections are in the general population, he said.The state Department of Health and Environment, led by Norman, reported Friday that Kansas had 1,705 confirmed coronavirus cases in 66 of its 105 counties. That was an increase of 117, or 7.4% from Thursday, with cases in three additional counties.COVID-19-related deaths also rose 5%, up four to 84, according to the department.For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.Despite its low testing rate, Kansas’ rate of COVID-19 deaths is in the middle of the pack among states, 2.89 for every 100,000 residents as of Friday, ranking 26th, and against a national figure of 9.89.“Always, we’re working on, what’s the pinch point, in terms of a our supply chain? Norman said Friday. “I really think that the floodgates will open up and be allowing much more broad testing within the next week.”Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, eager to get the economy moving again,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251186839983132673" target="_blank">tweeted</a>&nbsp;Friday, “The States have to step up their TESTING!”“Well, we know that,” Kelly said when asked about the tweet. “We’ve known that for a long time.”___

Kansas lags in COVID-19 testing, clouding state's reopening

Proving the two certainties in life, death and taxes,&nbsp;Peggy Gayle Frank&nbsp;passed away peacefully in her bed, surrounded by love, on April 15, 2020. After three years of wagering a much stronger battle than pancreatic cancer had bargained for, her Lord and Savior decided it was time for her to come home.

She leaves behind a wonderful family and kitchen full of memories, cookbooks, and seemingly hundreds of other assorted utensils. Her family is now left to figure out their use. Luckily, she handed down her passion and skill set in the kitchen to her daughter, who now by default becomes responsible for the utensil inventory and disbursement.

In August of 1956 she was born the daughter of Gale (deceased) and Esther (Poppe) Doner in Salina, KS. Throughout her 63 wonderful years she touched countless lives. Every person she interacted with felt as though they were, at that moment in time, the most important thing in the world. Her charm, charisma, and kindness were infectious. Many described this amazing wife, mother, daughter, aunt, sister, and Gigi as “a bright light,” “a sparkle,” and “special.”

Growing up in both Salina and Wichita with her siblings, Greg and Phyllis who both sorely miss and survive her, she learned to love both communities. On February 9, 1974, her travels brought her back to Salina, and in the pre-pandemic days when bars were open, made an appearance at The Pub on Broadway with her best friend at the time. That night a young man full of machismo and a need of refinement made a lasting impression on Peggy. So much so that when he sent her a Valentine’s Day card the following week, she had to ask her friend “Who the hell is Joe Frank?”

May 1, 2020 would have marked 44 generally magnificent years of marriage for Joe and Peggy. Her husband was her best friend, rock, and advocate, none more so than the past three years. He misses her more than words can describe.

In their prime Joe and Peggy loved to travel, especially to beach destinations. Happiness for Peggy was simply sitting by a pool or beach, with a book or magazine in one hand and a drink in the other, alongside friends and/or family.

Some say the smartest thing Peggy and Joe ever did was have children. Andy and Nicole Frank, Jeff and Kit Frank, and Rebecca (Frank) and Matt Nykiel wish every day she remained a text or phone call away as she had been their entire lives. They provided seven terrific grandkids that absolutely adored the lady they called Gigi.

Ainsley, Josephine (Joey, and Emmylou; Waylon, Boone, and their soon-to-be brother; and Cooper &amp; Tucker were the pride of Gigi’s life. She could not wait to be a Gigi and once given the opportunity she was the best. The absolute best. Able to reach her grandkids on every level possible, she loved nothing more than baking cookies, going shopping, or reading a book with her grandkids. It was impossible to tell who enjoyed the moments more, Gigi or the grandkids.

While being a homemaker and putting family first, she also found time and joy in being a part of two elite sisterhoods: her local PEO chapter and the HMB’s, a group of elite shopping and traveling assassins. Both groups provided her great joy, on wildly different levels.

Peggy was always quick to help when asked, or when she saw the need for support. Her selflessness was natural and genuine, invariably putting those around her first. This characteristic was evident in her involvement at St. Elizabeth’s Parish, lending advice on home decorating, comforting those in times of need, or being ever available to simply listen.

She possessed a powerful, unwavering faith that stood as a testament to how she lived. She embraced the belief that life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences, rather God’s plan for everyone. Through this belief she inspired those around her and made them better people, never seeking praise nor recognition, only humbly asking they continue to love and encourage each other in their daily lives.

Peggy will be greatly missed by many but never, ever forgotten. Her husband and children continue to make it their mission to instill every bit of Gigi in her grandchildren and the world around them.

A celebration of life will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers please send donations to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church or PEO Chapter BW, care of Ryan Mortuary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587247579905.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Proving the two certainties in life, death and taxes,&nbsp;Peggy Gayle Frank&nbsp;passed away peacefully in her bed, surrounded by love, on April 15, 2020. After three years of wagering a much stronger battle than pancreatic cancer had bargained for, her Lord and Savior decided it was time for her to come home.She leaves behind a wonderful family and kitchen full of memories, cookbooks, and seemingly hundreds of other assorted utensils. Her family is now left to figure out their use. Luckily, she handed down her passion and skill set in the kitchen to her daughter, who now by default becomes responsible for the utensil inventory and disbursement.In August of 1956 she was born the daughter of Gale (deceased) and Esther (Poppe) Doner in Salina, KS. Throughout her 63 wonderful years she touched countless lives. Every person she interacted with felt as though they were, at that moment in time, the most important thing in the world. Her charm, charisma, and kindness were infectious. Many described this amazing wife, mother, daughter, aunt, sister, and Gigi as “a bright light,” “a sparkle,” and “special.”Growing up in both Salina and Wichita with her siblings, Greg and Phyllis who both sorely miss and survive her, she learned to love both communities. On February 9, 1974, her travels brought her back to Salina, and in the pre-pandemic days when bars were open, made an appearance at The Pub on Broadway with her best friend at the time. That night a young man full of machismo and a need of refinement made a lasting impression on Peggy. So much so that when he sent her a Valentine’s Day card the following week, she had to ask her friend “Who the hell is Joe Frank?”May 1, 2020 would have marked 44 generally magnificent years of marriage for Joe and Peggy. Her husband was her best friend, rock, and advocate, none more so than the past three years. He misses her more than words can describe.In their prime Joe and Peggy loved to travel, especially to beach destinations. Happiness for Peggy was simply sitting by a pool or beach, with a book or magazine in one hand and a drink in the other, alongside friends and/or family.Some say the smartest thing Peggy and Joe ever did was have children. Andy and Nicole Frank, Jeff and Kit Frank, and Rebecca (Frank) and Matt Nykiel wish every day she remained a text or phone call away as she had been their entire lives. They provided seven terrific grandkids that absolutely adored the lady they called Gigi.Ainsley, Josephine (Joey, and Emmylou; Waylon, Boone, and their soon-to-be brother; and Cooper &amp; Tucker were the pride of Gigi’s life. She could not wait to be a Gigi and once given the opportunity she was the best. The absolute best. Able to reach her grandkids on every level possible, she loved nothing more than baking cookies, going shopping, or reading a book with her grandkids. It was impossible to tell who enjoyed the moments more, Gigi or the grandkids.While being a homemaker and putting family first, she also found time and joy in being a part of two elite sisterhoods: her local PEO chapter and the HMB’s, a group of elite shopping and traveling assassins. Both groups provided her great joy, on wildly different levels.Peggy was always quick to help when asked, or when she saw the need for support. Her selflessness was natural and genuine, invariably putting those around her first. This characteristic was evident in her involvement at St. Elizabeth’s Parish, lending advice on home decorating, comforting those in times of need, or being ever available to simply listen.She possessed a powerful, unwavering faith that stood as a testament to how she lived. She embraced the belief that life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences, rather God’s plan for everyone. Through this belief she inspired those around her and made them better people, never seeking praise nor recognition, only humbly asking they continue to love and encourage each other in their daily lives.Peggy will be greatly missed by many but never, ever forgotten. Her husband and children continue to make it their mission to instill every bit of Gigi in her grandchildren and the world around them.A celebration of life will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers please send donations to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church or PEO Chapter BW, care of Ryan Mortuary.

Peggy Gayle Frank

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas churches and their pastors filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Gov. Laura Kelly over&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20-18-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;banning religious gatherings with more than 10 people to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, arguing that the directive violates their religious and free-speech rights.

<a href="https://apdocs.inside.ap.org/documents/150874-churches-lawsuit-04-16-20.html" target="_blank">The lawsuit</a>&nbsp;comes eight days after top Republican legislative leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/79490ae7c241fab1301bd66e87afd224">attempted to revoke</a>&nbsp;Kelly’s order themselves, only to see the Democratic governor thwart their efforts by contesting their action before the Kansas Supreme Court. The state’s highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cc005f93f1daa0edd5fcfbc581351e5">let her order stand</a>&nbsp;on technical grounds, without deciding whether it violated freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. or Kansas constitutions.

The lawsuit also comes with Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature pressuring Kelly to outline a plan for lifting a separate stay-at-home order for all 2.9 million Kansas residents to help the economy recover.

The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Kansas also alleges that Kelly’s order violates the churches and pastors’ right to assembly, guaranteed along with religious and free-speech rights by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It also contends that it violates a state law meant to protect religious freedom.

The lawsuit was filed by First Baptist Church in Dodge City and Pastor Stephen Ormond and Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City and Pastor Aaron Harris. The lawsuit said both churches held indoor services Sunday with 20 or more members of the congregation present, celebrating Easter, often the busiest day of the year for Christian churches.

“The State does not have a compelling reason for prohibiting church services where congregants can otherwise practice adequate social distancing protocol,” the lawsuit said.

Both churches had congregation members sit 6 feet apart, in line with public health recommendations on social distancing and took numerous other steps, such as not using collection plates, the lawsuit said.

Kelly spokeswoman Dena Sattler said the governor’s office is reviewing the lawsuit but added, “This is not about restricting religion, it is about keeping people safe and saving Kansans’ lives.”

The number of coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related deaths are still rising in Kansas. The state reported 1,588 cases as of Thursday, with 80 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

Kelly’s statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">stay-at-home order&nbsp;</a>took effect March 30 and is set to remain in effect until May 3. It exempts “essential” activities such as buying groceries and obtaining medical care.

The lawsuit argues that Kelly’s order limiting church gatherings to 10 or fewer members of a congregation discriminates against and “shows hostility” toward churches when many secular businesses still can operate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586807038792.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during a press conference Monday in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during a press conference Monday in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas churches and their pastors filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Gov. Laura Kelly over&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20-18-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;banning religious gatherings with more than 10 people to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, arguing that the directive violates their religious and free-speech rights.<a href="https://apdocs.inside.ap.org/documents/150874-churches-lawsuit-04-16-20.html" target="_blank">The lawsuit</a>&nbsp;comes eight days after top Republican legislative leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/79490ae7c241fab1301bd66e87afd224">attempted to revoke</a>&nbsp;Kelly’s order themselves, only to see the Democratic governor thwart their efforts by contesting their action before the Kansas Supreme Court. The state’s highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9cc005f93f1daa0edd5fcfbc581351e5">let her order stand</a>&nbsp;on technical grounds, without deciding whether it violated freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. or Kansas constitutions.The lawsuit also comes with Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature pressuring Kelly to outline a plan for lifting a separate stay-at-home order for all 2.9 million Kansas residents to help the economy recover.The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Kansas also alleges that Kelly’s order violates the churches and pastors’ right to assembly, guaranteed along with religious and free-speech rights by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It also contends that it violates a state law meant to protect religious freedom.The lawsuit was filed by First Baptist Church in Dodge City and Pastor Stephen Ormond and Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City and Pastor Aaron Harris. The lawsuit said both churches held indoor services Sunday with 20 or more members of the congregation present, celebrating Easter, often the busiest day of the year for Christian churches.“The State does not have a compelling reason for prohibiting church services where congregants can otherwise practice adequate social distancing protocol,” the lawsuit said.Both churches had congregation members sit 6 feet apart, in line with public health recommendations on social distancing and took numerous other steps, such as not using collection plates, the lawsuit said.Kelly spokeswoman Dena Sattler said the governor’s office is reviewing the lawsuit but added, “This is not about restricting religion, it is about keeping people safe and saving Kansans’ lives.”The number of coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related deaths are still rising in Kansas. The state reported 1,588 cases as of Thursday, with 80 deaths.For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.Kelly’s statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbec40f995b83b9a88cfe56cd1149708">stay-at-home order&nbsp;</a>took effect March 30 and is set to remain in effect until May 3. It exempts “essential” activities such as buying groceries and obtaining medical care.The lawsuit argues that Kelly’s order limiting church gatherings to 10 or fewer members of a congregation discriminates against and “shows hostility” toward churches when many secular businesses still can operate.___

Kansas governor sued over order limiting religious services

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Emergency medical workers in Kansas have written to Gov. Laura Kelly saying they lack adequate protective gear and that their workers compensation doesn’t cover them if they become infected with the coronavirus or need to be quarantined.

The Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association said in a letter sent last week that EMS providers are very concerned that they will be “severely financially impacted” if they are exposed to the virus. Some are volunteers, while others are part-time workers. The advocacy group sent the letter to journalists this week.

It asked Kelly to issue an executive order to cover lost wages and the cost of health care for workers on the front line who fall ill or must be quarantined.

“Kansas workers compensation does not cover communicable disease infections even though EMS and other healthcare providers are clearly putting themselves in harms’ way to deliver much needed care,” the letter says.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Kelly has responded.

Health officials in Kansas are urging residents to wear cloth face coverings when they go out in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Kelly said in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/posts/527606137939165?__xts__[0]=68.ARBsd5ozUbliIOKdNRRp4Q79kHg2LFg-oVCBlmAL027fanCoo5uQX0q6qE6smgWrhHZYGE-XGMb1C8OGUSYPZKAedYR3QAKJDK8tPE4p1_Np_sNQ6UIZSrMGOOVUgJAnrrMr_QqyCH2KBdoVmIA8MLj_fLWdkh4QhKdbOznz5bZTOcvWeI9QE2pLAF0JUUsyq3P6rRepAJJPZ8oqGy8qCAQ4ufzXgALa7OFBUMFzGjODbp5aDXRUgd1wOLrNoBSI7VPzpvTCxz9GPZQNKIGgvulz__0HPDwyyoCc24GHHSkx7_9KZ44wy2GOezDmVIKfvSTGC6nJVEkY_zbpy-U&amp;__tn__=-R" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that new evidence suggests people are able to transmit the virus to others before they show any symptoms.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9625f2983ac615d631a64e3e99b0e69e">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;issued a similar recommendation last week.

Topeka-area health officials offered similar guidance to retail workers on Monday. Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino said retailers should limit the number of customers in a store to no more than five for each 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) at a time. He said customers should be admitted into stores on a “one-out, one in” basis once a store reaches its capacity, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200413/shawnee-county-health-officer-store-employees-should-cover-faces-at-all-times" target="_blank">reports</a>.

Statewide, the number of confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/642/4-14-20-update-numbers" target="_blank">cases</a>&nbsp;of COVID-19,the disease caused by the virus, grew Tuesday to 1,426 cases, up 50 from Monday. The number of deaths increased by seven to 69.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

At the University of Kansas Health System, the number of inpatients dropped to 29 Tuesday from 31 Monday. Twelve are in the ICU and nine are on ventilators, according to a news release.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, said the curve has been flattened, at least in the Kansas City area. But he added that the biggest risk is returning to normal too quickly.

His remarks came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06f57a460059e8e2c481078dc4747440">Trump insisted Monday</a>&nbsp;that he has “total” authority to decide how and when to loosen restrictions — a notion considered at odds with the Constitution, which delegates such matters to the states.

Kelly said Monday that Kansas would move “back to normal as the science allows.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586807038792.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during her Monday news conference" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during her Monday news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Emergency medical workers in Kansas have written to Gov. Laura Kelly saying they lack adequate protective gear and that their workers compensation doesn’t cover them if they become infected with the coronavirus or need to be quarantined.The Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association said in a letter sent last week that EMS providers are very concerned that they will be “severely financially impacted” if they are exposed to the virus. Some are volunteers, while others are part-time workers. The advocacy group sent the letter to journalists this week.It asked Kelly to issue an executive order to cover lost wages and the cost of health care for workers on the front line who fall ill or must be quarantined.“Kansas workers compensation does not cover communicable disease infections even though EMS and other healthcare providers are clearly putting themselves in harms’ way to deliver much needed care,” the letter says.It wasn’t immediately clear if Kelly has responded.FACE MASKS<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586545963590.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Lee Norman demonstrated how to wear a face mask during a Friday April 11 press conference in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Lee Norman demonstrated how to wear a face mask during a Friday April 11 press conference in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>Health officials in Kansas are urging residents to wear cloth face coverings when they go out in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Kelly said in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/posts/527606137939165?__xts__[0]=68.ARBsd5ozUbliIOKdNRRp4Q79kHg2LFg-oVCBlmAL027fanCoo5uQX0q6qE6smgWrhHZYGE-XGMb1C8OGUSYPZKAedYR3QAKJDK8tPE4p1_Np_sNQ6UIZSrMGOOVUgJAnrrMr_QqyCH2KBdoVmIA8MLj_fLWdkh4QhKdbOznz5bZTOcvWeI9QE2pLAF0JUUsyq3P6rRepAJJPZ8oqGy8qCAQ4ufzXgALa7OFBUMFzGjODbp5aDXRUgd1wOLrNoBSI7VPzpvTCxz9GPZQNKIGgvulz__0HPDwyyoCc24GHHSkx7_9KZ44wy2GOezDmVIKfvSTGC6nJVEkY_zbpy-U&amp;__tn__=-R" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that new evidence suggests people are able to transmit the virus to others before they show any symptoms.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9625f2983ac615d631a64e3e99b0e69e">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;issued a similar recommendation last week.Topeka-area health officials offered similar guidance to retail workers on Monday. Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino said retailers should limit the number of customers in a store to no more than five for each 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) at a time. He said customers should be admitted into stores on a “one-out, one in” basis once a store reaches its capacity, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200413/shawnee-county-health-officer-store-employees-should-cover-faces-at-all-times" target="_blank">reports</a>.CORONAVIRUS CASESStatewide, the number of confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/642/4-14-20-update-numbers" target="_blank">cases</a>&nbsp;of COVID-19,the disease caused by the virus, grew Tuesday to 1,426 cases, up 50 from Monday. The number of deaths increased by seven to 69.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.At the University of Kansas Health System, the number of inpatients dropped to 29 Tuesday from 31 Monday. Twelve are in the ICU and nine are on ventilators, according to a news release.Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, said the curve has been flattened, at least in the Kansas City area. But he added that the biggest risk is returning to normal too quickly.His remarks came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06f57a460059e8e2c481078dc4747440">Trump insisted Monday</a>&nbsp;that he has “total” authority to decide how and when to loosen restrictions — a notion considered at odds with the Constitution, which delegates such matters to the states.Kelly said Monday that Kansas would move “back to normal as the science allows.”

Emergency workers in Kan. seek help responding to virus outbreak

Due to the declared COVID-19 national emergency the Wednesday 8 a.m. regular meeting of the Salina Airport Authority board of directors will be held via a GoToMeeting video and audio links. 

Public access to the Salina Airport Authority’s administrative offices is restricted during the COVID-19 national emergency. Restricted public access to the SAA’s administrative offices is the reason that the meeting will be held solely by means of interactive communications. All board meeting documents (agenda, agenda memo, financial statements, etc.) and written information to be discussed at the meeting can be viewed at the following board meeting packet link:

<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKKcqQdwBJS3o7G5d5woSs7MyqaBl6Hel5gB460ZPRZdMiobw_NzozqFfmjIAecwf8ZFHJFgiCh9plPdz7L0SPS9uOSTvkX77XXv9xNvWPhmh_TnQcZ49iknvG-Ux0LM-k3Xnmnvsui5M4oKq7GWZrY7bRPBxD0ehfocf_iKK6NOHLfTsh_A3RSHS8rVMUNc8wU-2w-Vela7Ua7ghK0N6H0w3h9I9EwD&amp;c=BiOo4LjCKT2_Kw-FEeBKvxN4df39Dv64U9qhwU5uufXVQE6LggUCCg==&amp;ch=nM0s5q_8c6KsOTSXSabs5L1l1MGR96NAf8PeD588Z1QDmGokiVACIw==" target="_blank">https://www.salinaairport.com/public-information/board-meeting-documents.aspx</a>

To aid in transparency, the Airport Authority will take the following steps:

Members of the public may login to the meeting to listen, observe and/or participate in the board meeting. The login can be accomplished by telephone, smartphone, tablet or computer. Meeting login instructions are:

Join meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKKcqQdwBJS3o7G5d5woSs7MyqaBl6Hel5gB460ZPRZdMiobw_NzozqFfmjIAecwY0oDN5sOcJqRMLkj3-oSIxFHafAlwkvLnHdgjzv7aDgmeLthV67cnPgreVe2MHqrYUHucR065SRaoMObhEG4D1WdEc4eVwB7zQ66tvaDQzszw3o0iSDM1g==&amp;c=BiOo4LjCKT2_Kw-FEeBKvxN4df39Dv64U9qhwU5uufXVQE6LggUCCg==&amp;ch=nM0s5q_8c6KsOTSXSabs5L1l1MGR96NAf8PeD588Z1QDmGokiVACIw==" target="_blank">https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/631928973</a>&nbsp;

You can also dial in using your phone.(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.)

United States: +1 (646) 749-3112- One-touch:tel:+16467493112,,631928973#﻿

Due to the declared COVID-19 national emergency the Wednesday 8 a.m. regular meeting of the Salina Airport Authority board of directors will be held via a GoToMeeting video and audio links. Public access to the Salina Airport Authority’s administrative offices is restricted during the COVID-19 national emergency. Restricted public access to the SAA’s administrative offices is the reason that the meeting will be held solely by means of interactive communications. All board meeting documents (agenda, agenda memo, financial statements, etc.) and written information to be discussed at the meeting can be viewed at the following board meeting packet link:<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKKcqQdwBJS3o7G5d5woSs7MyqaBl6Hel5gB460ZPRZdMiobw_NzozqFfmjIAecwf8ZFHJFgiCh9plPdz7L0SPS9uOSTvkX77XXv9xNvWPhmh_TnQcZ49iknvG-Ux0LM-k3Xnmnvsui5M4oKq7GWZrY7bRPBxD0ehfocf_iKK6NOHLfTsh_A3RSHS8rVMUNc8wU-2w-Vela7Ua7ghK0N6H0w3h9I9EwD&amp;c=BiOo4LjCKT2_Kw-FEeBKvxN4df39Dv64U9qhwU5uufXVQE6LggUCCg==&amp;ch=nM0s5q_8c6KsOTSXSabs5L1l1MGR96NAf8PeD588Z1QDmGokiVACIw==" target="_blank">https://www.salinaairport.com/public-information/board-meeting-documents.aspx</a>To aid in transparency, the Airport Authority will take the following steps:<ol>
 <li>The meeting’s video and audio will be recorded and be posted on the Airport Authority’s website,&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKKcqQdwBJS3o7G5d5woSs7MyqaBl6Hel5gB460ZPRZdMiobw_NzozqFfmjIAecwf8ZFHJFgiCh9plPdz7L0SPS9uOSTvkX77XXv9xNvWPhmh_TnQcZ49iknvG-Ux0LM-k3Xnmnvsui5M4oKq7GWZrY7bRPBxD0ehfocf_iKK6NOHLfTsh_A3RSHS8rVMUNc8wU-2w-Vela7Ua7ghK0N6H0w3h9I9EwD&amp;c=BiOo4LjCKT2_Kw-FEeBKvxN4df39Dv64U9qhwU5uufXVQE6LggUCCg==&amp;ch=nM0s5q_8c6KsOTSXSabs5L1l1MGR96NAf8PeD588Z1QDmGokiVACIw==" target="_blank">www.salinaairport.com</a></li><li>&nbsp;Post the Airport Authority’s meeting notice, agenda, agenda packet and other meeting documents on the Airport Authority’s website,&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKKcqQdwBJS3o7G5d5woSs7MyqaBl6Hel5gB460ZPRZdMiobw_NzozqFfmjIAecwf8ZFHJFgiCh9plPdz7L0SPS9uOSTvkX77XXv9xNvWPhmh_TnQcZ49iknvG-Ux0LM-k3Xnmnvsui5M4oKq7GWZrY7bRPBxD0ehfocf_iKK6NOHLfTsh_A3RSHS8rVMUNc8wU-2w-Vela7Ua7ghK0N6H0w3h9I9EwD&amp;c=BiOo4LjCKT2_Kw-FEeBKvxN4df39Dv64U9qhwU5uufXVQE6LggUCCg==&amp;ch=nM0s5q_8c6KsOTSXSabs5L1l1MGR96NAf8PeD588Z1QDmGokiVACIw==" target="_blank">www.salinaairport.com</a></li><li>Post the April 15, 2020 meeting minutes to the Airport Authority’s website,&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKKcqQdwBJS3o7G5d5woSs7MyqaBl6Hel5gB460ZPRZdMiobw_NzozqFfmjIAecwf8ZFHJFgiCh9plPdz7L0SPS9uOSTvkX77XXv9xNvWPhmh_TnQcZ49iknvG-Ux0LM-k3Xnmnvsui5M4oKq7GWZrY7bRPBxD0ehfocf_iKK6NOHLfTsh_A3RSHS8rVMUNc8wU-2w-Vela7Ua7ghK0N6H0w3h9I9EwD&amp;c=BiOo4LjCKT2_Kw-FEeBKvxN4df39Dv64U9qhwU5uufXVQE6LggUCCg==&amp;ch=nM0s5q_8c6KsOTSXSabs5L1l1MGR96NAf8PeD588Z1QDmGokiVACIw==" target="_blank">www.salinaairport.com</a>&nbsp;as soon as possible after the meeting.</li>
 </ol>Members of the public may login to the meeting to listen, observe and/or participate in the board meeting. The login can be accomplished by telephone, smartphone, tablet or computer. Meeting login instructions are:Join meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mKKcqQdwBJS3o7G5d5woSs7MyqaBl6Hel5gB460ZPRZdMiobw_NzozqFfmjIAecwY0oDN5sOcJqRMLkj3-oSIxFHafAlwkvLnHdgjzv7aDgmeLthV67cnPgreVe2MHqrYUHucR065SRaoMObhEG4D1WdEc4eVwB7zQ66tvaDQzszw3o0iSDM1g==&amp;c=BiOo4LjCKT2_Kw-FEeBKvxN4df39Dv64U9qhwU5uufXVQE6LggUCCg==&amp;ch=nM0s5q_8c6KsOTSXSabs5L1l1MGR96NAf8PeD588Z1QDmGokiVACIw==" target="_blank">https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/631928973</a>&nbsp;You can also dial in using your phone.(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.)United States: +1 (646) 749-3112- One-touch:tel:+16467493112,,631928973#﻿Access Code: 631-928-973

Salina Airport Authority to meet via video, audio links



Team spectator sports—basketball, baseball, football, etc.—are shut down. There was an initial proposal to broadcast the competitions in empty stadiums and ball parks, but that idea died before it was implemented. —And for good reason.&nbsp; Can you image a basketball court with teams (dribble, dribble, dribble, basket) and no audience cheering?

Many do watch such games on television and it is somewhat entertaining. But the reaction of the crowd at the event provides the sound track of real excitement. Put yourself alone on the front row of bleachers of a game being played to an otherwise empty room and the silence overwhelms. It takes the “fun” away. You want to be one among hundreds of spectators caught up in the excitement of “face-to-face” games with others present.

There is an interesting phenomenon we are just learning from brain imaging studies. When a audience member is listening to a piece of music, their brain pattern “syncs” with the musician playing the music. They are mentally “together.” Consider being streetside as a marching band passes by. —Or sitting in the bleachers, joining the crowd cheering your team as they surge down the field to make a basket. That is the power of being together. It is no mystery that the bands that marched through our streets playing patriotic marches saw bystanders hug their loved ones goodbye and join in the parade that led to the military recruitment to join World War II.&nbsp; &nbsp;

There is also power in a group of students coming to class everyday to learn together under the leadership of a good teacher. That is also the reason that “personalized learning,” where each student in the classroom is isolated in front of a laptop to supposedly learn at their own speed, divorced from their classmates sitting around them, is lousy teaching. They no longer have the support of their classmates learning together. Everyone is “out of sync” and the “teacher” is a mere tech solver.

When students have a bad day and come to school unmotivated, the class around them helps them rise up and carry on. When a student is having a good day, their enthusiasm and success helps their classmates around them. My student teachers learned how this was a case of everyone “being in the moment” but it is also what is occurring with considerably more noise at a ball game. I am cautious when applying basic neurological research to applied teaching. Education schools have a long history of distorting such research to advance an education fad. But good teachers know when their class is “with them” and this recent research into brain synchrony appears to be solid science.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

My student teachers also learned that “to teach is to learn twice” because they will have to take what they have learned in depth in college study and translate it into language that relates to a new generation of students’ experiences. &nbsp;

But to teach is to learn dozens of times over.&nbsp; In a mid-size to large school district, a biology teacher will likely teach freshman biology classes all day long. They will come to rely on some brief video examples to illustrate time-lapse plant growth or unique animal behavior. Since they will show this over again in each class throughout the day (and if they have good classroom discipline, why can’t they just turn on the video and leave the room?

My teachers-to-be knew this problem because this happened when they were students. That is not good, they will tell me. When I ask why, they reflect on how a teacher needs to stay in class with students. The teacher is in a learning journey with them, and stepping outside the class abandons them.

Before we had extensive media, we did have correspondence courses that let students work with a book and worksheets away from any class, sending in their lessons by mail. Tests were then taken under the supervision of a local school administrator. We knew back then that only one-out-of-ten correspondence students had the discipline and self-motivation to complete the course on their own. Nine-out-of-ten needed to learn together with the support of classmates and the teacher in the room.

For the vast majority of our K-12 and undergraduate students, learning alone doesn’t work. &nbsp;&nbsp;



John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573490075841.jpeg" alt="John Richard Schrock" />
 <figcaption>John Richard Schrock</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN RICHARD SCHROCK

Team spectator sports—basketball, baseball, football, etc.—are shut down. There was an initial proposal to broadcast the competitions in empty stadiums and ball parks, but that idea died before it was implemented. —And for good reason.&nbsp; Can you image a basketball court with teams (dribble, dribble, dribble, basket) and no audience cheering?Many do watch such games on television and it is somewhat entertaining. But the reaction of the crowd at the event provides the sound track of real excitement. Put yourself alone on the front row of bleachers of a game being played to an otherwise empty room and the silence overwhelms. It takes the “fun” away. You want to be one among hundreds of spectators caught up in the excitement of “face-to-face” games with others present.There is an interesting phenomenon we are just learning from brain imaging studies. When a audience member is listening to a piece of music, their brain pattern “syncs” with the musician playing the music. They are mentally “together.” Consider being streetside as a marching band passes by. —Or sitting in the bleachers, joining the crowd cheering your team as they surge down the field to make a basket. That is the power of being together. It is no mystery that the bands that marched through our streets playing patriotic marches saw bystanders hug their loved ones goodbye and join in the parade that led to the military recruitment to join World War II.&nbsp; &nbsp;There is also power in a group of students coming to class everyday to learn together under the leadership of a good teacher. That is also the reason that “personalized learning,” where each student in the classroom is isolated in front of a laptop to supposedly learn at their own speed, divorced from their classmates sitting around them, is lousy teaching. They no longer have the support of their classmates learning together. Everyone is “out of sync” and the “teacher” is a mere tech solver.When students have a bad day and come to school unmotivated, the class around them helps them rise up and carry on. When a student is having a good day, their enthusiasm and success helps their classmates around them. My student teachers learned how this was a case of everyone “being in the moment” but it is also what is occurring with considerably more noise at a ball game. I am cautious when applying basic neurological research to applied teaching. Education schools have a long history of distorting such research to advance an education fad. But good teachers know when their class is “with them” and this recent research into brain synchrony appears to be solid science.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;My student teachers also learned that “to teach is to learn twice” because they will have to take what they have learned in depth in college study and translate it into language that relates to a new generation of students’ experiences. &nbsp;But to teach is to learn dozens of times over.&nbsp; In a mid-size to large school district, a biology teacher will likely teach freshman biology classes all day long. They will come to rely on some brief video examples to illustrate time-lapse plant growth or unique animal behavior. Since they will show this over again in each class throughout the day (and if they have good classroom discipline, why can’t they just turn on the video and leave the room?My teachers-to-be knew this problem because this happened when they were students. That is not good, they will tell me. When I ask why, they reflect on how a teacher needs to stay in class with students. The teacher is in a learning journey with them, and stepping outside the class abandons them.Before we had extensive media, we did have correspondence courses that let students work with a book and worksheets away from any class, sending in their lessons by mail. Tests were then taken under the supervision of a local school administrator. We knew back then that only one-out-of-ten correspondence students had the discipline and self-motivation to complete the course on their own. Nine-out-of-ten needed to learn together with the support of classmates and the teacher in the room.For the vast majority of our K-12 and undergraduate students, learning alone doesn’t work. &nbsp;&nbsp;

John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.

Education Frontlines: Learning together

Today is Sunday, April 12, the 103rd day of 2020. There are 263 days left in the year.

On April 12, 1861, the Civil War began as Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

In 1776, North Carolina's Fourth Provincial Congress authorized the colony's delegates to the Continental Congress to support independence from Britain.

In 1912, Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, died in Glen Echo, Maryland, at age 90.

In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, at age 63; he was succeeded by Vice President Harry S. Truman.

In 1954, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission opened a hearing on whether Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project, should have his security clearance reinstated amid questions about his loyalty (it wasn't). Bill Haley and His Comets recorded "Rock Around the Clock" in New York for Decca Records.

In 1955, the Salk vaccine against polio was declared safe and effective.

In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to fly in space, orbiting the earth once before making a safe landing.

In 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, charged with contempt of court and parading without a permit. (During his time behind bars, King wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail.")

In 1981, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral on its first test flight. Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, 66, died in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 1988, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent to Harvard University for a genetically engineered mouse, the first time a patent was granted for an animal life form.

In 1990, in its first meeting, East Germany's first democratically elected parliament acknowledged responsibility for the Nazi Holocaust, and asked the forgiveness of Jews and others who had suffered.

In 2006, jurors in the Zacarias Moussaoui trial listened to a recording of shouts and cries in the cockpit as desperate passengers twice charged hijackers during the final half hour of doomed United Flight 93 on 9/11.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Sunday, April 12, the 103rd day of 2020. There are 263 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On April 12, 1861, the Civil War began as Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.On this date:In 1776, North Carolina's Fourth Provincial Congress authorized the colony's delegates to the Continental Congress to support independence from Britain.In 1912, Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, died in Glen Echo, Maryland, at age 90.In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, at age 63; he was succeeded by Vice President Harry S. Truman.In 1954, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission opened a hearing on whether Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project, should have his security clearance reinstated amid questions about his loyalty (it wasn't). Bill Haley and His Comets recorded "Rock Around the Clock" in New York for Decca Records.In 1955, the Salk vaccine against polio was declared safe and effective.In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to fly in space, orbiting the earth once before making a safe landing.In 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, charged with contempt of court and parading without a permit. (During his time behind bars, King wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail.")In 1981, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral on its first test flight. Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, 66, died in Las Vegas, Nevada.In 1988, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent to Harvard University for a genetically engineered mouse, the first time a patent was granted for an animal life form.In 1990, in its first meeting, East Germany's first democratically elected parliament acknowledged responsibility for the Nazi Holocaust, and asked the forgiveness of Jews and others who had suffered.In 2006, jurors in the Zacarias Moussaoui trial listened to a recording of shouts and cries in the cockpit as desperate passengers twice charged hijackers during the final half hour of doomed United Flight 93 on 9/11.In 2009, American cargo ship captain Richard Phillips was rescued from Somali pirates by U.S. Navy snipers who shot and killed three of the hostage-takers. Angel Cabrera became the first Argentine to win the Masters.Ten years ago: President Barack Obama opened a 47-nation nuclear summit in Washington, boosted by Ukraine's announcement that it would give up its weapons-grade uranium. The musical "Next to Normal" won the Pulitzer for drama; Paul Harding's "Tinkers" was the surprise fiction winner.Five years ago: Hillary Rodham Clinton jumped back into presidential politics, announcing in a video her much-awaited second campaign for the White House. Pope Francis marked the 100th anniversary of the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, calling it "the first genocide of the 20th century," a politically explosive declaration that provoked a furious reaction from Turkey. Jordan Spieth (speeth) romped to his first major championship with a record-tying performance at the Masters, shooting an 18-under 270 to become the first wire-to-wire winner of the green jacket since 1976.One year ago: A 5-year-old boy was seriously injured when he was thrown from a third-story balcony at the Mall of America in Minnesota by a stranger who had randomly grabbed the child. (Emmanuel Aranda pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to 19 years in prison; the injured child was hospitalized for months.) A former Florida prep school administrator, Mark Riddell, pleaded guilty to taking college entrance exams for students in exchange for cash to help wealthy parents get their kids into elite universities. (Riddell later cooperated with investigators.) Former NFL player and coach Forrest Gregg died in Colorado Springs from complications of Parkinson's disease; he was 85. Actress Georgia Engel, best known as Georgette on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," died in New Jersey at the age of 70.Today's Birthdays: Children's author Beverly Cleary is 104. Actress Jane Withers is 94. Playwright Alan Ayckbourn is 81. Jazz musician Herbie Hancock is 80. Rock singer John Kay (Steppenwolf) is 76. Actor Ed O'Neill is 74. Actor Dan Lauria is 73. Talk show host David Letterman is 73. Author Scott Turow is 71. Actor-playwright Tom Noonan is 69. Rhythm-and-blues singer JD Nicholas (The Commodores) is 68. Singer Pat Travers is 66. Actor Andy Garcia is 64. Movie director Walter Salles is 64. Country singer Vince Gill is 63. Actress Suzzanne Douglas is 63. Model/TV personality J Alexander is 62. Rock musician Will Sergeant (Echo &amp; the Bunnymen) is 62. Rock singer Art Alexakis (Everclear) is 58. Country singer Deryl Dodd is 56. Folk-pop singer Amy Ray (Indigo Girls) is 56. Actress Alicia Coppola is 52. Rock singer Nicholas Hexum (311) is 50. Actress Retta is 50. Actor Nicholas Brendon is 49. Actress Shannen Doherty is 49. Actress Marley Shelton is 46. Actress Sarah Jane Morris is 43. Actress Jordana Spiro is 43. Rock musician Guy Berryman (Coldplay) is 42. Actor Riley Smith is 42. Actress Claire Danes is 41. Actress Jennifer Morrison is 41. Actor Matt McGorry is 34. Actress Brooklyn Decker is 33. Contemporary Christian musician Joe Rickard (Red) is 33. Rock singer-musician Brendon Urie (Panic! at the Disco) is 33. Actress Saoirse Ronan is 26.Thought for Today: "The surest test of discipline is its absence." — Clara Barton (1821-1912).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.